ED2014 3/5 Reviews ED2014 Theatre Reviews

Lavender Junction (Peppermint Muse)

By Andy Leask | Published on Wednesday 6 August 2014

Though set in colonial India, ‘Lavender Junction’ isn’t really about colonial India. Indeed, that’s its biggest fault: it’s not really about anything. Rather, this one-woman show, written and performed by Lisa White, is inspired by White’s grandmother’s life. What emerges, then, is a lovely portrait of her experiences in India in the latter days of the Raj and the Second World War. There’s no doubt that White’s emotional connection to the material lends her performance a poignancy and tenderness that is affecting. We hear of her distant parents, harsh nuns at boarding school, a multitude of servants… but all devoid of any commentary, any subtext. It’s a nice show, but unfortunately, I’m left wanting more: more drama, more meaning.

C nova, until 25 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Andrew Leask]